Pneumatic cushion



Sept. 3, 1929. A. ANDERSON 1,726,939

PNEUMATIC cusxuon Filed March 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 49 g6 17 45 5919 45 gg memo? Urvl'dflafldenson P 1929. A. E. ANDERSON 1,726,939

PNEUMATIC CUSHION Filed March 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zia/072257 GrwldQuote 719072,

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARVID E. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO NEW YORK RUBBER CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

PNEUMATIC CUSHION.

Application filed March 14, 1927. Serial No. 175,077.

This invention relates to pneumatic cushions and particularly tocushions known as Wedge cushions, and used particularly as back restcushions in automoblies and other 6 places. One object of the inventionis to provide a pneumatic cushion of wedge shaped cross section. Anotherobject is to provide a pneumatic cushion structure which will cause thecushion to assume the desired wedge shape as an incident to inflationthereof. Still another object is to provide a cushion structure in whichthe front and back portions comprise plain sheets of material unitedface to face in such a way that the cushion will as sume said wedgeshape as an incident to infiation thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pneumatic cushion of theclass described which will be'strong and durable so as to be capable ofsupporting a relatively heavy load; to provide such a cushion which maybe used as a seat cushion; and in general, to provide an improvedpneumatic cushion of the class described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawings inwhich I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my improved cushionand its construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan showing the appearance of the cushion when deflated.

Fig. 2 is also a plan showing the appearance of the cushion wheninflated.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, an

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on the lines 55 and 6-6 respectively of Fig.1.

Referring now to the drawings, my improved cushion comprises front andback sheets 10 and 11 respectively, of rubberized fabric united togetheralong a marginal zone and along intermediate zones to form a sealedenvelope or chamber divided into a plurality of chamber portionsv ofvarious sizes and shapes. 7 The sheets 10 and 11 (as shown in Fig. 6) ofrubberized fabric, comprise inner rubber portions 12 and 13respectively, and outer fabric portions 14 and 15 respectively. Thefabric portions are eifective to protect the rubber sheets or portionsfrom excessive wear and puncturing.

In the present embodiment of my invention I prefer to unite the sheets10 and 11 together (as shown in Fig. 6) in relatively narrow zones bymeans of vulcanizing under pressure. By this means, a large portion ofthe rubber will be forced outwardly towards the cdges of the united zoneand reinforcing beads mdlcated at 1616, integral with the rubber sheets,will be formed. It will also be understood that a considerable amount ofthe rubber will be forced into the interstices of the fabric in the saidzones. By thus joining the front and back sheets, a very strong bond isformed therebetween and the chambers defined by the various united zonesare very strongly reinforced by' the beads 16 so as to wlthstand arelatively high pressure without danger of separating the sheets attheir joints.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I prefer to unite the sheets 10 and 11 alonga relatively narrow marginal zone 17 which extends entirely around theouter edges or peripheries of the sheets so as to form a pocket orchamber,

adapted to be inflated. In addition to the peripheral or marginal zoneof union, I join the sheets in relatively narrow intermediate zones 1818extending from the top edge 19 of the cushion downwardly towards thebottom edge 20 and terminating in a pear-shaped button-head 21 adjacentthe said lower edge. The button-heads 2121 are preferably pearshaped orrounded so as to avoid sharp cornersin the joint between the front andback portions of the cushion whereby the joint is somewhat stronger andthere is less danger of producing an imperfect joint whereby the Ijoined sheets might possibly be easily separated. The zones 1818 arepreferably disposed at an inclination to the adjacent side edges 22 and23 so as to form chamber portions 24 and 25 of varying width. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the chambers 24 and 25 are relatively wide at theirtop portions and narrow at their bottom portions.

I further find it desirable to sub-divide th chamber portionintermediate the chamber portions 24. and 25. For this purpose I unitethe front and back sheets in the manner described in a relatively narrowzone 26 terminating in button-heads 27-27 at its opposite ends adjacentthe said zones 18-18. The lower portion of the said intermediate chamberportion is further sub-divided by means of a zone of union 28 extendincross-wise as at 29 and downwardly at its sides as at 30 and- By unitingthe front and back sheets which form my improved cushion in the mannerabove described, it will be seen that I rovide a large chambersub-divided into a p urality of inter-communicating chamber portions orcompartments of various sizes and some of which chamber portions vary intheir cross sectional dimensions from top to bottom. In the presentembodiment, the chamber portions adjacent the bottom edge 20 of thecushion are relatively small and as they approach the upper edge 19,their respective sizes increase progressively. It will further be notedthat all of the chamber portions are inter-connected by passagewaysprovided between the ends of the various intermediate zones of union andadjacent zones.

For the purpose of inflating the cushion, I prefer to provide a valve 33which as shown best in Fig. 5 preferably comprises a valve mechanism 34having a shank 35 provided with enlarged heads 36 and 37. A rubbersleeve 38 is slipped over the shank 35 so that the heads 36 and 37 willbe effective to retain the sleeve thereover and in which position thesleeve may be cemented or otherwise secured by suitable means. The shank35 with the rubber sleeve 38 disposed thereover, is positioned betweenthe front and back .sheets 10 and 11 of the cushion so that the portionof small diameter of the shank 35 will be disposed in the marginal zone17 in which the sheets are united. When the zone 17 is vulcanized, thesleeve 38 will also be vulcanized to the'inner rubber portions of thecushion and the valve mechanism thereby firmly held in place. The valvemechanism 34 may be of any suitable type having a check valve or otherprovision for preventing the escape of air from the chamber, and in thepresent instance I prefer to provide the rubber sleeve 38 with aninwardly extending portion 39 which may be conveniently squeezed betweenthe fingers to prevent escape of air from the cushionwhen the valvemechanism 34 is being manipulated. By this construction it will beapparent that the cushion may easily be inflated by blowing thereinto,and pinching the extension 39 betweenthe fingers to permit the taking ofa new breath preparatory to further blowing. It will of course, beunderstood that I may provide independent chamber portions connectedtogether to form a unitary cushion structure, suitable means beingprovided for inflation of each of the chambers. For protectingthe valvemechanism I extend the sheets 10 and 11 outwardly to form flaps 40 and41 as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, I have shown my improved cushion as it appears wheninflated. It will be observed that the cushion is substantially wedgeshaped in cross section, being considerably thicker from front to backadj acent its upper edge 19, than it is adjacent its lower edge 20. Thecushion assumes this shape in cross section due to the fact that thefront and back sheets are joined so as to produce chamber portions whichare smaller at their lower ends or adjacent the lower edge 20, andlarger at their upper ends or adjacent the upper edge 19. It willfurther be noted that the chamber portions 42, 43 and 44, intermediatethe side edge chamber portions 24 and 25 are progressively larger asthey approach the upper edge 19, and this arrange ment causes theportion of the cushion intermediate the chambers 24 and 25 to assume thesaid wedge shape. The front and back sheets are maintained in spacedrelation by inflation of the cushion" and the described arrangement ofjoined zones is effective to control the spacing of the sheets, sincethe smaller portions of the sheets which form the smaller chamber orcompartment portions cannot be distended by inflation as great an amountas the larger portions which form the larger chamber portions.

The arrangement of chamber divisions or portions illustrated in thepresent embodiment which includes chamber portions extending lengthwiseand crosswise of the cushion and transversely to each other, isparticularly desirable, since it tends to prevent folding or buckling ofthe cushion except along desirable lines. It will be understood as by aninspection of Fig. 2, that the cushion will not readily bend along ahorizontal line such as defined by the zone 26, since the side chamberportions 24 and 25 would oppose such bending. The cushion may however,be bent a certain amount along vertically extending lines defined by thezones 1818 and thereby be caused to more closely fit the back of aperson using the cushion for back rest purposes. I 1

I prefer to notch the upper edge 19 of the cushion as indicated at 4545and the lower edge of the cushion as indicated at 46-46 so as to permitthe cushion to assume such shape as is incidental to inflation thereof.By an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be noted that the cushion more orless squares itself, as the notches 45 and 46 are closed up. The upperedge portion of the cushion also buckles slightly, as indicated at 47,but such buckling is not of such a great extent as to be objectionableand to require the provision of additional notches or other means forthe purpose of eliminating the same.

I prefer to provide somewhat enlarged 12o corner marginal portions asindicated at 48 and to provide suitable eyelets in these corner portionsas indicated at 49 to facilitate fastening the cushion in any desiredposition on the back of an automobile seat or other place. 7

I am aware that many modifications in the arrangement of joined zones orchambers or chamber portions may be made, as well as in the form andconstruction of the cushion, 1

vention, the scope of which s ould be determined by reference to thefollowing claims, which should be construed as broadly as possible,consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a pneumatic cushion of the class de-'scribed, the combination of front and back members united togetheraround their outer edges so as to form a sealed envelope adapted to beinflated, whereltfi intermediate portions of said members w be spacedapart and will enclose a chamber, said members also being united alongrelatively narrow intermediate zones so as to divide said chamberinto aplurality of compartments respectively disposed crosswise and lengthwiseof the cushion, said compartments bein of relatively small size alongone edge 0 the cushion and of relativelylar e size along the oppositeedge, whereby t e cushion will be caused to assume a wedge-like shape incross section when inflated, and the crosswise and lengthwisearrangement of said compartmentbeing efiective to prevent undesira 1ebending of the cushion.

2. In a pneumatic cushion of the class described, the combination ofnormall flat front and back members united aroun their outer edges so asto form a sealed envelope, said envelope bein adapted to be inflated soas to form a cham er therein, said members also being intermediatelyunited in relatively narrow zones extending lengthwise thereof adjacentopposite side edges of the cushion and so as to form lengthwiseextending comthereof, the

partments of greater width at the top edge of the cushion than at thebottom edge thereof, the portions of said members intermediate saidlengthwise zones being also united so as to orm compartments extendingcrosswise of t e cushion and of greater capacity along said top edgethan at said bottom edge, said compartment arrangement being effectiveto cause the cushion to assume a wedge-like shape in cross section, andalso to prevent undesirable bending of the cushion.

3. In a pneumatic cushion ofthe class described, the combination ofnormally flat front and back members united around their outer edges soas to form a sealed envelope, said envelope bein adapted to be inflatedso as to form a cham er therein, said-members also being intermediatelyunited in relatively narrow zones extending lengthwise thereof adjacentopposite side ed es of the cushion and so as to form lengthwiseextending compartments ofgreater width at the top edge of the cushionthan at the bottom edge ortions of said members intermediate sailengthwise zones being also united so as to form compartments extend ingcrosswise of the cushion and of greater capacity alon said top edge thanat said bottom edge, sai compartment arrangement being effective tocause the cushion to assume a wedge-like shape in cross section, andalso to prevent undesirable bending of the cushion, and valve means forfacllitating inflation of said envelope.

ARVID E. ANDERSON.

